Home > House Democratic Whip Hoyer on President's Social Security Sales Pitch to New York

House Democratic Whip Hoyer on President's Social Security Sales Pitch to New York

For Immediate Release:

May 24, 2005

Stacey Farnen Bernards(202) 225 - 3130

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today in response to the President’s Social Security sales pitch in Rochester, New York:

“Anyone who wonders why the President’s approval rating has dropped precipitously in recent months need look no further than his reality-denying performance in New York today.

“On Social Security, as on most issues, the President and many Congressional Republicans are completely out of step with the American people. Yet, the President acts as if his privatization plan is catching on with them, and seems to believe that anyone who disagrees with him fails to recognize Social Security’s challenges.

“First, the American people are adamantly opposed to Social Security privatization. And second, every day that the President continues trying to sell his flailing privatization proposal to the public, he is delaying a bipartisan solution for that much longer.

“Bush characterized private accounts as being voluntary. However, the Republicans’ privatization proposal would lead to benefit cuts across the board, whether people opt into the accounts or not. And the future generations who will be forced to shoulder the $5 trillion in additional debt from privatization certainly have no choice in the matter.

“In 1983, Democrats and Republicans came together to find a bipartisan solution to Social Security’s challenges and Democrats firmly believe that we have time today to do the same. We realize that Social Security has long-term challenges and are unequivocally committed to solving them. Working Americans have rightfully earned their Social Security benefits and depend on them for dignity and independence in retirement. In the spirit of President Ronald Reagan and former House Speaker Tip O’Neill, Republicans need to cast aside their divisive privatization agenda, and join Democrats in rolling up our sleeves and solving Social Security’s challenges.”